Buying A Walk-In Bathtub – Your Biggest Mistake?

Walk-in bathtubs are often advertised as an “amazing” product for seniors and people with disabilities; the claim being that this type of bathtub will maximize your ability to bathe safely and independently. But will this bathing solution truly deliver all the safety, convenience, and comfort you desire?

After all I’ve witnessed as an occupational therapist and home ability specialist, I would strongly urge potential buyers to proceed with caution, as there can be more inconveniences, safety risks and hidden costs present than apparent at first sight.

Common Misconceptions about Walk-in Bathtubs

The following paragraphs highlight common misconceptions about walk-in bathtubs:

Misconception 1

Walk-in bathtubs maximize bathing comfort & convenience.”

Reality

There is an obvious – but surprisingly often overlooked – consequence of entering a bathtub through a door in the sidewall: You can’t prepare the bathtub full of hot water prior to climbing in, and you can’t exit the tub until the water has fully drained out. To put this more bluntly – once you have stepped into the bathtub naked and pulled the door closed behind you, you could find yourself waiting up to 10 minutes or more for the water to rise slowly from your toes upwards. Then at the tail end of the bath you can again be waiting as much as 10 minutes or more while sitting naked, cold and wet waiting for the tub to empty. The filling and the draining times for walk-in tubs vary based on the size of the tub, as well as on the plumbing in your home.

Furthermore, be aware that in most walk-in bathtubs, you’ll find yourself sitting bolt upright for the duration of the bath – not in the relaxed, reclined position you might be imagining. And, if you are of an average or above average height, there is a good chance that only the lower half of your body will be fully submerged. So if you are envisioning warm water soothing your aching back, neck and shoulders, you are likely to be left feeling sorely disappointed.

Bottom line: A satisfactory bathing experience? – Probably not!

Misconception 2

Walk-in tubs substantially increase safety.”

Reality

A Walk-in tub, as the name implies, requires you to be able to walk. In fact, you need to be able to walk fairly steadily, as most walk-in tubs still have a step you must raise your feet over, a narrow doorway to pass through, and a door to contend with while you’re entering and exiting. If you are someone who relies on a walker for stability, then this is likely to be more stepping and maneuvering than you will feel safe and comfortable doing.

A safety concern for the classic-style walk-in tubs with an inward-opening door is that if you do experience a medical emergency when you are inside the tub, it is not possible to open the door and get out without first letting all the water drain out – and notably these tubs can hold up to 40-80 gallons of water! A salesperson may try to sell you on the idea that a walk-in tub with a larger drain will allow the water to empty out of the tub more quickly, but be aware that your home’s existing plumbing also plays a critical role in the speed the water will drain out.

A glaring safety issue for the classic-style walk-in tubs with inward-opening doors is that it’s possible to get trapped inside. My own patients were the first to report experiences to me about getting trapped inside of a walk-in tub. Additional reports are also evidenced in articles online, as well as in the readers comments attached below. The reasons have ranged from being unable to drain the water out of the tub to slipping off the seat and becoming awkwardly wedged behind the door, both of which make it impossible to open the inward-opening bathtub door. The combination of the high tub walls and inward-opening door then makes it quite a feat for EMTs to get people out.

Bottom line: A safer bathing experience? – Think twice!

Misconception 3

A walk-in tub makes it easier for a caregiver to assist you.”

Reality

The classic-style walk-in tub has high walls, a narrow doorway, a few inch threshold and cramped, tight quarters, which when all combined together can best be described as an “ergonomic nightmare” for a caregiver. The tub’s narrow interior can make it almost impossible for a caregiver to position themselves safely by your side to assist you as you are moving into and out of the tub. To make matters worse, you will be wearing little or no clothing when they are assisting you to get into the tub, giving them very little to hold on to, and you will be slippery and wet when they assist you to get out of the tub.

A salesperson might tell you that they offer a model that has no threshold or a wider door. These features will help make it easier for you to get in and out of the tub, however, they do not erase all of the problems. The tub’s high walls and small, cramped interior will still make it difficult for a caregiver to use good body mechanics to assist you to stand from the seat inside or to safely hold onto you while you are passing in and out through the doorway. Furthermore, if you need assistance with bathing, the caregiver will be forced to reach awkwardly over a high tub wall to help you.

Bottom line: Easier for a caregiver? – Not likely!

Misconception 4

A walk-in tub is an age-proof solution.”

Reality

On the surface, a walk-in tub may appear to be a good solution for your current mobility needs; however, there’s an inherent problem with the classic-style walk-in tub’s – a problem that has the potential to one day block you from bathing entirely – namely that a tall wall exists between you and the bath seat inside. This wall creates a permanent barrier, leaving you with only one option for getting in and out – namely to walk in and out. This is fine if you can always walk fairly steadily, but what if there is a time when you can’t?

People who are recovering from a surgery; persons coping with the symptoms of a stroke, Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis; or persons limited by weakness due to cancer or age-related problems will often use a technique called a ‘lateral-sliding transfer’ to move between surfaces. In other words, they scoot their bottom sideways to transfer from one surface to another, such as from from a wheelchair seat to a bath seat (see picture). Unfortunately the seat inside of a classic-style “walk-in” tub is blocked by a tall wall, making it impossible to slide sideways from a wheelchair seat onto the seat inside.

Walk-in bathtubs can range in cost from $5,000-$17,000 installed. This is a lot of money for a solution that comes with the very real risk of one day blocking your ability to have access to a bath at all – leaving you instead to watch the layers of dust grow in your expensive so-called “accessible” bathtub – while you are sadly relegated to taking sponge baths at the bathroom sink!

Bottom line: An age-proof solution? – Don’t count on it!

To learn about the potential hidden costs involved with purchasing a walk-in tub click here.

Alternatives to a Walk-in Tub

What if you have your heart set on being able to soak in a hot bath again? The truth is there are not many options available that help make it easier to take a soaking bath, but a few options do exist. If you are just searching for a solution to make bathing safer and easier and do not care if you take a soaking bath or not, there are also some alternative options for this as well. The list of alternative options below contain examples of both.

Option 1: A Slide-in Tub is one consideration. It looks very similar to a Walk-in Tub in that both Slide-in Tubs & Walk-in Tubs have a door in the sidewall, a molded seat inside, and high tub walls. There is one very critical difference, however, between these two types of tubs: When a slide-in tub’s door is in the open position, one side of the bath seat is exposed. This makes it possible for you to simply back up and sit down on the the bath seat as if sitting on a regular chair. Then from a safe seated position you can lift one leg at a time into the tub, thereby completely eliminating the need to precariously step and/or walk in and out. It is also possible for a person who relies on a wheelchair to slide sideways from the wheelchair seat (if the wheelchair has a removable armrest) to the tub seat.

A Slide-in tub is a much more future-proof solution than a Walk-in tub, but it does still come with some of the same drawbacks as a Walk-in Tub, such as that it cannot be filled with warm water until after you get in. To learn more about the pros and cons of Slide-in style bathtubs, visit the Slide-in Bathtub Buying Guide.

Option 2: Another option to consider is a portable-style bath chair lift. This is a battery-powered bath chair that can be placed inside your existing bathtub. At the push of a button, the seat is designed to lower you down into the bath water for a warm bath and with another push of a button it is designed to raise you back up again when you have finished bathing. If you don’t feel your balance skills are sufficient for sitting down on or standing up from a portable-style bath chair, alternatively, you may want to consider a bath lift that is designed to be permanently installed to the wall, floor, or ceiling. To learn more about these types of lifts click here.

Bath Chair Lifts Amazon.com

Option 3: Are you a caregiver seeking a solution that will help make it easier to assist another individual with bathing? A sliding bathtub transfer bench with a detachable shower chair, shown in our article on equipment for getting in & out of the bathtub, is one consideration. Replacing the existing tub or shower stall with a curbless-style shower is another good consideration. A wheeled shower chair can be used to wheel an individual directly from the bedroom, through the bathroom doors and into a curbless-style shower – no further transfers required!

If the person you will be assisting wishes to take a soaking bath, then seated-style or lying-down style Slide-in Tubs are both possible considerations. To learn more, visit the slide-in tubs guide. If the person you are helping requires a considerable amount of physical assistance for transfers, a ceiling lift is another good consideration. A Ceiling Lift can be used in conjunction with a standard bathtub. It comes with the added benefit that the tub can be filled with warm water before an individual enters (something that is not an option in a tub with a door in the sidewall).

Option 4: If your primary goal is to eliminate needing to “step” precariously in and out over a standard bathtub wall (versus finding a solution that allows you to take a soaking bath), then you may want to consider a simple bathtub bench. A bathtub bench creates a bridge over your bathtub wall that you can scoot yourself across to get in and out of the tub. This type of solution will allow you to take a seated shower once you arrive inside the tub. To learn more about selecting a bathtub bench, visit the Bathtub Transfer Bench Guide.

Bathtub Transfer Seats Amazon.com

Option 5: Last, but not least, if you are specifically seeking a solution that will help you to best ensure your future independence in bathing and you are not specifically concerned about being able to soak in a tub, then we highly recommend to consider installing a curbless shower. To learn more about curbless showers, read: “Curbless Showers – A Great Age-Proof Bathing Solution!”.

65 Comments

Thanks for the information on walk-in tubs . I was considering purchasing a tub since I have had knee and hip replacements . The first issue I had was the companies calling after I researched some tubs . I want waste my money . Cost was $5000 and up . The tubs are necessary for some, but NOT me . Cost is to much for seniors .

I would strongly urge anyone -DON’T WASTE MONEY ON THIS GIMMICK. Instead if you think jetted tubs are great – install a standard jetted tub. These things are purely a gimmick and I guess a lot of folks are making money from making them look safe. I personally have one – it is not convenient or safe.You can always put in a tub seat if you want to sit upright in the tub. Mine is only used to shower in and this is much less satisfying than a standard shower. One bath in it was enough to wish I had a standard bath-tub. SAVE YOUR MONEY

We installed a walkin tub for my mother-in-law nearly 10 years ago, and she has been using it regularly since them. She is 95 now and enjoys her baths. I installed two infrared heat lamps in the ceiling above the tub which she turns on when she’s ready for the tub. I installed the quick drsin kit that I ordered with the tub, and a 16 gpm faucet to fill it. With the heaters turned on, she is warm duting tge foll time and the drain times. She’s getting towhere she needs help taking a bath, and my wife has found the tub very easy to use to help her.
With a little pre planning, these tubs can be a very useful addition.

Thank you for sharing your experience with other readers. We are glad to hear it has worked for your mom thus far. For other readers who are considering a walk-in tub, it is important to keep in mind that the tub drain speed will depend in large part on the plumbing in your own home. Yes. We agree a heat lamp is definitely a welcome addition and can be extremely useful for a person who is elderly, whether bathing or showering, because our skin tends to thin with age, allowing heat to escape and making it more likely a person will feel chilly.

From my own experience working as a therapist with persons with physical disabilities, the negatives for Walk-in Tubs still outweigh the positives in most cases, so readers are advised to weigh all of the pros and cons when making their final decision. As noted in the article above, the drawbacks include that it can’t be filled until after a user enters; a user can’t exit until after it fully drains; it is possible, and it has happened, that people have found themselves trapped inside of the Walk-in Tubs with an inward opening door and required 911 emergency services to assist them out. Lastly, if a person grows weaker or experiences an injury, this type of tub can cause a person to be relegated to a lifetime of sponge baths at the sink, as described in “Misconception 4″ in the article above. Others have shared some of their own problems with their walk-in tubs in the comment section below that readers should take into consideration as well.

I have a walkin tub that was in the house when I bought the home. After using it a few times I have found it do be vertually useless ; not a bit better than a regular tub/shower combination. Devices can be purchased to be used in regular tubs. In addition, things happen to people that cannot be fixed to make living as good as it once was and that includes tacking a bath. In my Mother had a saying, ” Live with it ” .
There also was a walkin/ shower with a seat in it installed in this house. This item is highly recommended and far better than the walkin tub.
There are too many cons in my book to justify a walkin tub.

Are there any walking tubs available with regular tub high walls, where you can be in same position as an regular tub, plus all hydro jets, air jets, light, etc included…length say max 60″
Thank you
Bill

There are a few tubs available with standard-height tub walls, that have a short door in the side wall and are a full length tub. One such tub type would require you to be able to sit down and stand up from ground level to use it. See example #13 in this article: Accessible Bathtubs – An Amazing Diversity! I’m not aware of any like this particular type that have the jets as well though. In that same article you will also see models with short doors and a seat that raises and lowers (See #14 and #15). Those tub types can usually be ordered with air jets, which amounts to a gently bubbling bath, but I’m not aware of any with water jets, which would provide more of a massage-like effect. Tubs like those that are featured in #14 and #15 of that article tend to be a bit pricey, often upwards of 20K+.

Another option you may want to consider is a lying down-style Slide-in tub with a seat that is at chair height, similar to the tub featured in #4 of that same article. There are tubs of that nature available that come with the various jet options and are nearly a full length tub. Examples can be viewed on the second page of this link: Slide-in Tubs.

We hope this information helps to get you started in identifying a solution that meets your wants and needs.

Thank you so much for this information. My mom will be moving in with us shortly and she is used to using a bath bench transferring to a shower and my husband and I were debating on whether to get a walk in tub for her use. After reading your article, I have decided to let her continue using a shower (especially since that is what she is used to) instead of the WI in tub. She would freeze to death while waiting for the water to drain and there are so many other problems that you pointed out that I had not thought of. Again, thank you.

Thank you so much for this very well written and informative article. I had planned to get a walk in tub but wasn’t sure it was the best thing. I didn’t realize the other options and I am going to go with the lift tub chair. The sliding bench didn’t work for us because my husband kept thinking he was going to fall. I really appreciate your input.

It sounds like you are considering a “bath chair lift” that gets placed inside the tub. This can help to make it easier for you to get up and down from the bottom of the tub. If it is being purchased primarily for your husband and he does not feel comfortable using a bathtub bench at this point in time, I suspect he may be hesitant about sitting down on and standing up from a bath chair lift as well. If he is the primary person seeking a solution to make soaking easier, you ‘may’ want to consider a slide in tub as a potential option. It has some of the same problems as a walk-in tub, but would provide a more stable seat, which it sounds like he would feel more confident about transferring on and off of.

If you plan to remodel the bathroom or replace an existing tub or shower, the most future-proof solution is a curbless shower The following article generally discusses why a curbless shower is a good consideration:Curbless Shower – A Great Age-Proof Bathing Solution!

If you are specifically interested in a specialized bathtub, this article provides a summary of many of the different types of bathtubs inventors have created and some of their pros and cons.Accessible Bathtubs – An Amazing Diversity!

This article provides a general glimpse of different types of equipment options for making a home more accessible: Aging-in-Place Solutions

I hope this information helps to get you started and enhances your awareness of the variety of options that are available. I would recommend to consult with your healthcare provider about having a home consultation done by an Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist to further aid you in determing which solution is likely to be best suited for your daughter’s needs.

I agree with everything in above article. We purchased a walk in tub basically top of the line for my grandma who is in a wheel chair but can take some steps on her own. She was freezing whenever she used her tub and had a hard time not slipping getting in and out. We were all so excited to get this tub so she could bathe and she ended up only using it 2-3 times, she didn’t like it. She passed away a few years ago and were trying to sell the house for 2 years and biggest complaint is the tub. It’s a family oriented neighborhood and perfect family home but you can’t blame buyers not wanting a house with a tub their toddlers or babies cannot bathe in.

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your insights and experience with others!

From your comment, it sounds like you have not managed to sell the home yet. You MIGHT consider paying a contractor to remove the walk-in tub and replace it with a standard $300-$400 bathtub or a $400-$600 prefab shower stall.

Tubs and shower stalls come in different widths, so if you do choose this path, it would be good to try to identify a model that fits perfectly in the existing space. If the replacement tub or shower stall is smaller than the walk-in tub, be aware you may need to redo the bathroom flooring too. Of note, a “prefab shower stall” would cover the walls, which could help to prevent you from needing to do refinishing work on the walls once the walk-in tub is removed. In regard to prefab shower stalls, the type that get assembled onsite are typically the most manageable type to install (versus models that already come assembled because they can be difficult to get through the home’s doors and hallways). As a general point of reference, replacing a standard bathtub often costs in the realms of $2,000-$4,000 dollars.

The ultimate hope would be that if you have the walk-in tub removed, you can sell the home faster at a higher price point, allowing you to recoup the money invested upfront to replace the tub.

I am so glad I saw this article. I keep seeing ads on TV for the walk-in tub and would love to sit in a tub again. (Arthritis, hip replacement, etc.) My husband was hesitant to spend the money and I’m glad he is not as impulsive as I am! Thanks for the informative article. I will stick to showers for now.

My mother got a walk in tub, but found it very uncomfortable to have to sit cold and naked while the tub filled and emptied. She was very sensitive to cold in her later years and it got to the point that she was reluctant to bathe.

My mother in law has one of these fancy walk in tub thingies and a big problem she is having is that the floor and the seat are slippery. She has tried every stick to it rubber mat she can find to no avail. No suction cup will adhere. Has anyone found a product that works to help with this problem? The floor of the tub is bumpy and I’m wondering if any of these topical solutions will work on it? She’s even tried wearing water socks and that hasn’t worked either.

The tub surface being too slippery is a problem that has been reported by other walk-in tub owners as well. (This is visible in some of the comments that people have left below.) So far, I am not aware of anyone finding a great work-around to solve this problem yet.

It is possible that the adhesive “non-slip safety shower treads” or “non-slip tape for bath and showers” might work. My guess though is that these options will not stick well to the bumps you described being present on the floor of your tub model. The other option to consider trying would be to apply a “non slip spray for tubs and showers,” which it sounds like you alluded to in your comment. I anticipate, however, that it will be harder to clean the tub with such a product applied to the surface. If you have a warranty on the walk-in tub, I would confirm that altering it in this way does not do anything to void the warranty, prior to applying it. People who do have non slip treads on their tubs and showers have reported filling the tub with some water to cover the treads, adding bleach to it, and letting it sit for a bit to clean the surface. Prior to doing so, confirm that it is OK to let bleach sit in the walk-in tub model you have purchased and if so, make sure to open the windows for proper ventilation if you do use bleach for such purposes.

Hopefully, another reader has found a viable solution that they will be willing to share. You might try calling the manufacturer of your tub model to see if they are aware of any viable solutions to fix the problem. If you do find something that works, please come back and post a comment and share it with others because it appears to be a problem many people are coping with.

Re: Rhonda’s article,
It sounds to me that Rhonda has a ‘bone to pick’ with walk-in-tubs and has lost her objectivity. My wife and I operate a supportive living home and over all have had very positive comments from both the clients who use the tub AND the caregivers who assist.
We also have sliders, large showers etc. and certainly not all residents use the tub but those who do appreciate it very much.
I personally used the tub to see how long it took to drain and it was slightly under three minutes.
They may not be for everyone but for many they are a real blessing.

You are always wise to maintain a healthy degree of skepticism when reading articles or comments that are for or against a topic. I, the author of the article, do not personally have an issue with walk-in tub manufactures. I do, however, have an issue with walk-in tubs being advertised as the perfect, long-term solution for persons who are aging or those who are coping with physical limitations that are likely to worsen with time.

Prior to writing this article, I had heard many stories from clients who invested their hard earned savings in purchasing a walk-in tub with the hope that it would guarantee them independence in bathing and a lifetime of access to warm baths, only to be unpleasantly surprised later that not only did it not guarantee them a lifetime of warm baths, but it blocked them from accessing the shower/bath at all. My clients noted they had only received one side of the story, which was the positive spin they received from the sellers of walk-in tubs. I believe people should be aware of the drawbacks as well, so they can make an informed decision about whether or not it is right for their given situation.

Yes. As you pointed out, Walk-in tubs can take varying amounts of time to fill and empty depending on the tub model and the water pressure in the home. This is clearly stated in the article and further elaborated on at the end of the article where I point out that if the time to fill and empty the tub is a non-issue for someone, then a slide-in style tub (a sister to the walk-in tub) may be a viable option for them because unlike walk-in tubs, ‘most’ slide-in tub models provide a future-proof solution.

And, to your next point, yes it would be possible for a caregiver to rather easily help someone in and out of a walk-in tub “if” the person they are helping is stable enough to safely step in/out over the threshold and the person does not require much assistance to sit down and stand up. However, if the same persons’ condition worsens further, then this would no longer be the case, which is one of the big problems with walk-in tubs – namely that they have a limited usability window for many people.

If ALL of the rooms in your assisted living facility have a curbless shower, then the good news is that every resident will always have access to a shower till 100 and beyond. If this is indeed the case, then your residents are very lucky!

Since you are an owner of a facility that has walk-in tubs installed, it is important for you to be aware that the walk-in tubs with inward-opening doors DO come with inherent safety risks. If you do not already have a call light or portable phone hook up installed within reaching distance of all the walk-in tubs installed in your facility, then I would HIGHLY recommend to consider adding this modification. People can and do get trapped inside the walk-in tubs with inward-opening doors (see the comment by Barbara S. below) and they can fall getting out of walk-in tubs (see DeLores Koch’s comment below).

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! I am a firm believer that people should get both sides of the story before making big decisions. There is another article on the homeability website (Walk-in Tubs: Get the Facts) that assists people who do want to get a walk-in tub, to identify the features that are best for them. Our ultimate goal is to provide people with the information they need to make the right decision for themselves.

A few years ago I thought the walk in tub would be perfect for me as my shower had sliding doors and the controls were getting too old to work good, so I asked a friend contractor to get me a walkin tub. It was a disaster to start with as it cost me over $17000 and the second time I used it I fell trying to get out and landed on my left hip which had a hip replacement and my husband had to call 911 for help so I ended up in the hospital with a damaged knee after I already had arthritis in my right knee and both were ridid trying to get in and out as noted in the misconceptions in this article. All manufacturers should warn people that they aren’t made for everyone!! As I found out and now have to have help from my aide who has a hard time holding me as you say I am wet and slippery due to no clothing. I should have had the kind shown that opened out so I could sit on the seat right away. I don’t know which brand of tub I have either as the contractor ordered it for me. No thanks to my tub!!!!! I have reached 90 yrs this year and have to use this for the rest of my life.

I’m very sorry that the tub you purchased to make bathing easier and safer…has instead ended up being the cause of an injury and has made bathing more difficult.

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience. I’m sure that reading about your first-hand experience of purchasing and using a walk-in tub will be invaluable for others who are still in the decision-making stage about whether to purchase one or not.

Congratulations on making it to age 90! I hope that every day and year ahead of you is full of smiles and love and that you are still able to enjoy a warm bath with the help of your aide – in spite of the tub.

Thank you for your comment and for taking the time to share your experience with others!

I have heard many stories from people who, like you, state that they are continually being confronted by unwanted calls from walk-in tub sellers. Some of them have stated that the calls started immediately after a birthday, which leads me to wonder who is behind selling this information to the walk-in tub sellers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website advises to report any person/company who calls you by filing a report on the website: donotcall.gov

The FTC has noted that due to the volume of complaints they get, they can’t respond directly to each one. But they ask people to please keep the complaints coming because the FTC and other law enforcement agencies analyze complaints to spot trends and to take legal action against wrongdoers. If it is a robot generated call, they advise not to push any buttons that offer to remove your number from the calling list, because it is said to result in amplifying the number of calls. For more information, visit the FTC website.

We have a walk in tub. We also have the option of a large walk in shower with a bench seat. I’m sure the negatives you write about are true in some situations, but in our case my wife uses the tub exclusively. She has had back surgery seven times including a spinal cord stimulator implant. Our tub fills and drains in about five minutes. It has a pump to increase the speed of drawing. She cannot get in and out of a normal tub. This walkin tub gives her relief from pain, as well as helps her to sleep better.
As I said at the start; I’m sure your points are valid for some, but I think it’s a disservice to paint the picture so negatively. I believe a better way to approach the topic would be to suggest talking points to consider when shopping for a tub such as depth, width, wall height, speed of filling or draining, in the tub heating, whirlpool jets, air bubbler or both. If a person lives in a home with poor plumbing that could be an issue, but that can be known in advance by the functionality of existing fixtures.
Bottom line it’s not all doom and gloom. Walkin tubs can be highly benificial. They’re not for everyone, but that’s why you must do your homework or have a trusted relative or friend assist if necessary. I don’t sell these tubs or anything else. I am a retired registered nurse.

Hello! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yes. I’m very much in agreement with you that a warm bath provides a great means to reduce pain for many people. But, even in a case scenario like the one you described, I would not recommend to people to invest their hard-earned money in a Walk-In Tub for the following three reasons:

1. SAFETY HAZARD: People can and do get trapped inside of Walk-in Tubs. (Barbara S. shared one such example in the comment’s section below.)

2. ACCESS BLOCKED: The wall that is fixed to the side of the seat can and does block many people’s ability to access their Walk-in Tub tub as their age increases or strength decreases, preventing them from enjoying the healthful benefits of a warm bath. (Readers in the comment’s section below further verify this point.)

3. BETTER ALTERNATIVES: There are safer, more future-proof alternatives to Walk-in Tubs that exist, which can help to better support people in taking a lifetime of warm baths.

Your wife is very lucky to have a walk-in shower to use as a back up for bathing if she can no longer access the walk-in tub, however, it sounds like she is truly dependent on warm baths for pain management – so in her specific case simply switching to using the shower would be a suboptimal solution because it would leave her sorely lacking in an appropriate means to cope with her pain.

I have a sense that you may have missed reading the “Alternatives to Walk-in Tubs” section located at the end of the article. There are safer, more future-proof options available that can help to support your wife and others like her to enjoy a warm bath till age 100 and beyond. “Slide-in Tubs” are one such example that is discussed in the article above. As noted in the article, Slide-in tubs do have some of the drawbacks of walk-in tubs (such as time to fill and empty), but unlike Walk-in Tubs, most of the slide-in tub models will not block a person from bathing entirely.

Equipped with this knowledge, it arguably would not make sense to inform a person that experiences severe pain and is heavily reliant on warm baths for pain management, to invest their money in installing a Walk-in Tub (a tub which comes with an inherent and very real risk of one day preventing them from benefitting from the pain-reducing benefits of a warm bath), when there are other viable, safer, more future-proof bathing options available.

I am soooooooooo very happy I read your article before investing in a walk in tub. I decided I need a regular tub with a slide-in. I love a tub to soak in and thought you could soak and also I did not think about it having to fill up and empty with one in the tub. Thank you so much for the information.

You are sooooo very welcome!
I am very happy to know people find the content to be helpful when making a decision about purchasing this type of tub.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!

Thank you so much for this article! You saved me from spending a whole bunch of money. I didn’t really think about the fact that I wouldn’t truly be laying down on my back relaxing in one of these things. Looks like I will be having someone install me some grab bars instead so that I can get in and out of my tub safely. Everyone needs to read this before they consider putting down a bunch of money on something that they may regret buying. Thanks so much again!

Rhonda, THANK YOU soooo much, I was seconds away from a purchase “click” of a walk-in when I saw your article. I’m so right-now human, I was sure a walk-in was the best for my ailing Mother. I see this methodology requires strategic thought. Thank you for waking-up that sleeping portion of my grey matter………..

Your question brings up another good point in regards to walk-in tubs. Most people that purchase a walk-in tub only think about the expense of purchasing it initially (because they anticipate it will fulfill all their needs in the years ahead.) Nobody anticipates needing to spend more money to have the tub removed, if they can no longer access it due to features described in the article above. Unfortunately, removing it will require you to hire and pay a local contractor to take the Walk-in Tub out. Then you’ll need to purchase a new tub or shower stall and pay a contractor to install the new one. You may also need to pay a fee to dispose of it as well – unless you are lucky enough to find a neighbor or friend interested in buying a used walk-in tub. Good luck! I hope you are able to recoup some of the money you invested in it.

Truly one of the best consumer articles I’ve ever seen! Thanks so much for your insights and thoroughness! After reading this we will opt for a deeper and longer tub and a Bath Chair Lift. So glad I found this! Thanks Again!

When you are selecting the new bathtub, make sure to confirm the new bathtub has a smooth floor surface. The Bath Lifts have suction-cup feet that secure the lift to the bathtub floor. Suction cups will not adhere well (or at all) if the tub floor is textured.

Rhonda, thank you so much for this review. I was about to spend upward of $3000 to purchase a walk in tub without giving any thought to the very practical issues that you bring up. It just seemed like the next evolution in my journey to getting older. Never thought about filling and emptying the thing or the option of a transfer shower bench with safety grab bars and I have been a nurse for over forty years. thanks again

I am very happy to hear the article’s content was beneficial. These tubs do appear extremely enticing, resulting in many people being unwittingly enticed into buying one …and frequently experiencing buyer’s remorse later. I believe it is always helpful to have the full picture (pros & cons) before setting off to make a big purchase.

Walk-in Tubs, unfortunately, do have a very real potential of relegating people to sponge baths at the sink.

The simple answer to your question is: No. Unfortunately there is no good way to modify a walk-in tub. I can imagine some extremely makeshift ways of attempting to modify it which would include: cutting off the front wall and the door (leaving a small lip next to the seat to help hold the water inside). Then potentially adding custom panels like those used for tub cuts to refinish the walls & adding a shower curtain. The result however, would be far from ideal (…if it is even possible to do). The patient should consult with a contractor about whether something of this nature is a viable consideration for their tub, or not.

Finances permitting, the person can consider having a ceiling lift installed. The ceiling track will need to make a 90 degree turn (making it more expensive) so the person can pass through the doorway and then turn 90 degrees to reach the seat. Note: The person’s bottom will be suspended too low (when they are seated in the sling) to pass over the front wall of the walk-in tub, so the person will have to pass suspended in the sling through the doorway. This solution will only work if the walk-in tub’s door opening is wide. Some walk-in tub doors are ridiculously narrow, however, which would make this option impossible.

Finances permitting, the BEST option would be to remove the walk-in tub and install a prefab walk-in shower. For Prefab showers, the curbless shower stall models are the most future-proof option, but will require some additional modifications to the bathroom floor, making this option more expensive. If finances are limited, prefab shower stall models with a small lip at the front are a consideration & are typically fairly easy to install. See this guide to learn more: Tips for Picking a Prefab Accessible Shower

This is an awesome article Rhonda, most seniors wrongly purchase walk in tubs and don’t realize the limitations they have. They are sold on purchasing a walk in tub by a fancy infomercial TV or sales man only looking to make the sale and not properly educating them on the pros (not many) and cons (many) of having one installed. As a dme provider specializing in aging in place solutions I always recommend my customers go with a curbless shower. Curbless showers are just a better option!

[…] door and exit. That’s not exactly a comfortable situation. Occupational therapist and founder of HomeAbility.com pointed out that the process to both fill and drain a walk-in tub can take up to ten minutes each! […]

You are so right about the tub not being as luxurious as the ads show. For my husband who had MS it took too long to fill and empty as he had such little energy. Also, it became difficult for him to step into so got very little use.
Now I have a tub that I don’t know what to do with as I never use it myself and would much prefer a regular tub.

We have one in our home and have been very pleased with the use of it. It is used for our daughter who can not walk, but is lifted onto the seat and has never been happier. After bathing (with the help of a caregiver (no problem there) is rinsed with the shower head. Ours fills and empties less than 10 minutes. Our jets go through a blowing out cycle after the tub has drained. I wish we had invested in one years ago.

Hello! Thanks for sharing your experience using a walk-in tub. Your comment brought it to our attention that the section at the end of the article labeled “Alternatives to Walk-in Tubs” previously only covered solutions for individuals seeking bathing solutions for themselves. We have since updated that section and added alternative options for persons who provide care to others as well.

Yes. You are correct. A Walk-in Tub can and does work well for some people for a period of time. There are a number of other bathing options, however, that are better, safer and/or much more future-proof for both individuals and caregivers alike. Given that there are better, safer, more future-proof options available, we would highly recommend to any person reading this article who has not already purchased one to pursue another option instead.

Walk-in tubs in general, due to the depth of most of these tubs, are not considered to be safe for children who are physically short in stature and/or unable to stand up. Adults can and have reported sliding off walk-in tub seats into the footwell below. If a small child slides off the seat, their head will be submerged under the water, putting them at high risk for drowning.

The Red Cross recommends that children under 5 years of age should not use spa tubs at all because young children are much more prone to dangerously overheating. Most public facilities prohibit children under the age of 12 from using a spa tub. If a middle-aged child uses one, the water temperature should be closely monitored as well as the length of time they are in it. If the tub water is kept in the realms of an average hot tub (~100-104 degrees), professionals recommend that a child age 6-12 not remain in the tub longer than 5 minutes.

Also of note, the Walk-in tubs with jets are highly prone to developing mold, mildew and bacteria in the lines because the water gets recycled back through the lines inside the tub. So, it is generally recommended to avoid these models for young children and/or those who are immunocompromised.

For readers of this article who are parents of a young child with a disability and who are seeking a solution to make bathing easier, it is important to keep in mind that most children will grow in size over the years and that lifting them can become more physically straining as they do grow in size. There are other solutions such as a curbless shower combined with a wheeled shower chair; a permanently installed bath lift used in conjunction with a standard bathtub, or a Slide-in tub with the ‘soaker’ feature (non-jetted), all of which can reduce the amount of physical lifting required. In regards to the latter option, it should be determined on a case-by-case basis whether a Slide-in style tub is appropriate for the age, size, health, and physical skills of a given child. We recommend consulting with a healthcare provider for help in selecting a solution that will be best suited to a child’s individual needs. See the section labeled “Walk-in Tub Alternatives” in the article above to learn more about the alternatives to Walk-in Tubs.

Thanks for visiting homeability.com. No. I definitely would not recommend a Walk-in tub for an elderly person with a leg amputation. If his strength declines further, which is likely to happen as his age increases, he may be forced to rely on a lateral-sliding transfer to transfer between surfaces, which entails removing a wheelchair’s arm rest and sliding sideways from a wheelchair seat to another surface such as a bed, chair, or bath seat. The wall of the walk-in tub blocks the seat inside, making this type of transfer impossible, hence he would be banned from entering.

It is worth pointing out that some younger amputees would be able to hop in and out of a walk-in style tub and a person who has a prosthetic leg could walk in and remove the leg, bathe, and don it again before exiting, but even for these persons there are much better, more future-proof bathing alternatives to consider than a tub that requires the user to walk in/out. See the list of “Alternative Bathing Solutions” section at the end of the article above for some other options to consider. In that section, you’ll also find links to more information on each of the options discussed.

Wow I am so disappointed, but glad I read this article. I wanted a Walk in tub in our new home,in a few more years but for now we renovated my bathroom just 2 years ago and I got a huge tub I can barely get my leg over the wall I have to hold on for dear life getting on and out I so miss talking a bath, I can’t get up and out like when I was younger I’m not real old but I’m older (56) . Now I don’t know what to do I want a bath, I feel angry that I can’t have a hot soaking bath, now I don’t know what to do ughhhhhh.

Walk-in tubs can definitely sound quite appealing on the surface. There are some other options, however, for making it possible to enjoy a hot bath, so there is still some hope! Slide in tubs are one alternative you could consider. They have some of the same drawbacks as Walk-in tubs (I.e. length of time to fill the tub), but should allow you to always be able to have access to a warm bath.

Another option that works for some people is a portable bath lift that gets placed inside your existing tub and helps to lower you to the bottom of the tub and raise you back up again. Another possible option to consider would be to install a wall, floor, or ceiling mounted lift beside or over your tub. The permanently installed lifts are usually used by persons with more extreme disabilities, but can be used by anyone. You can click on the blue hyperlinks found in this text to learn more about these different options. Regardless, of the solution you choose, we always recommended to people to keep a portable phone in reaching distance of the tub, as a back-up safety measure in case of an emergency.

I hope that you will be able to identify a suitable solution that will allow you to continue to enjoy soaking in a warm bath in the years ahead!

What about mold, no one informed me that it builds up mold in the Jets and it comes pouring out the minute you turn on jets. I am completely broken out with eczema because of the tub..beware you don’t have to have eczema to get these results, you’re also breathing in the toxins, Google before you ever get one of these. Paid15,000 and unable to use it.

Good point about the mold and mildew. Thanks for sharing your experience! Most walk-in tub models come equipped with one of three features: water jets, air jets, or as a soaker tub only (no jets at all). The walk-in tub models with jets are prone to soap, mold, and mildew building up in the lines internally and around the jets. Anyone who is immunocompromised would be best to avoid the ones with jets for this reason. Models with jets do need to be cleaned regularly, which usually consists of filling the tub with water (when you are not inside), adding something such as laundry detergent, vinegar or bleach and running the jets for at least 15 minutes. Bleach is usually the best candidate for eliminating the mold and mildew, but some manufacturers recommend against using it because it can dry out the tub’s lines internally.

Prior to adding anything to your tub (bleach or otherwise), consult with the manufacture regarding their recommendations for what to use/not use when cleaning the jets in your specific model, how much detergent, vinegar, or bleach to use, and how often they recommend to clean them. If you do use bleach, make sure to open the windows so you aren’t overwhelmed by the fumes. Also, make sure to confirm with the manufacturer whether it is OK to use standard soaps and shampoos in the model you have. Hopefully you will be able to eliminate the mold and mildew so that you can make use of the tub you have!

I do not know why my reply was removed so I will post it again. As I previously said, there is at least one brand of tub that will do an automatic blowout of the lines 20 minutes after it has drained, thus no mold or mildew in the lines. I recently purchased one of these for an elderly relative.

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NOTE TO HOMEABILITY READERS: It is helpful to keep in mind that the “automatic blow-out feature,” described by the author of the comment, does not fix some of the more important problems with walk-in tubs with inward-opening doors that are defined in the article above, such as the fact that it may block you from bathing in the future or that you could find yourself trapped inside.

If you are still determined to purchase a walk-in tub in spite of their drawbacks and you are specifically seeking one with jets, then a tub that includes features to prevent mold growth is a good consideration. We do not know anything about the tub the author of this comment has mentioned. Anytime you plan to select a piece of equipment that will become a more permanent part of your home, especially one that you need to rely on for safety, we ALWAYS highly recommend researching not only the product model, but also the company that offers it prior to making any final decisions.

THANK YOU
Wish we had read this before we put a walk-in-tub in our new home. Six years later with my husband’s mobility decreasing, this tub is the most dangerous thing in our house. OTs have helped with other solutions (slide benches into showers, shower chairs, etc) but these are slow and cumbersome (especially for a man!!)

We have just spent our children’s inheritance for a power assisted tub. Even though it is frightfully expensive, it will allow us both to stay in our home without fear of bathing and my husband will be so glad to have a daily bath without my anxiety about him falling. The salesman happened to come on a day when I had had to climb over the wall of the tub and stand on the seat with a gait belt around my husband to help him exit the tub. (I am 74) Never mind the time the water wouldn’t drain, the leaking door, the bad whirlpool circuit, the lack of service….

Also wish we had put in a flat-entry shower. Next time.
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing the CONS with others.

Thanks to Rhonda for documenting the challenges of “Walk-in-Tubs”.
In my experience as a bath designer — the challenge of stepping up and over the entrance is the first of many obstacles with this kind of “tub”.
My favorite design solution is a moveable bench and adjustable hand shower(s). While its not a soaking solution, the flexibility moving a seat toward the warm water spray is a pleasure.

Thanks for the Information on walk-in tubs. Your comments encouraged me to talk with other seniors before purchasing one of these tubs. Among those I talked to, most people who have purchased these bathtubs rarely use them – one couple said that in five years, they have each used it once. Another couple said that the grandchildren thought it was fun, but they wanted to be lifted out – not a good idea for these older people. Guess a walk-in tub may be a good idea for some, but an expensive mistake for most.

I would strongly urge anyone -DON’T WASTE MONEY ON THIS GIMMICK. Instead if you think jetted tubs are great – install a standard jetted tub. These things are purely a gimmick and I guess a lot of folks are making money from making them look safe. I personally have one – it is not convenient or safe.You can always put in a tub seat if you want to sit upright in the tub. Mine is only used to shower in and this is much less satisfying than a standard shower. One bath in it was enough to wish I had a standard bath-tub. SAVE YOUR MONEY